


Dragonheart

by musikfurfreiheit



Category: Delain (Band), Nightwish
Genre: Dragonheart - Freeform, Dragons, F/F, Wensen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-30 23:48:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11474208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musikfurfreiheit/pseuds/musikfurfreiheit
Summary: Far away, and long ago, there was a place and a time where humans and dragons lived together in peace.The bond between a dragon and its rider is unique, and a young Charlotte is about to discover how unique exactly.





	1. Chapter 1

 

##  **Dragonheart**

The sun was still low on the horizon, but the biggest town in the valley was already wide awake. The farmers from the area were busy convincing people that their fruit and vegetables were the best they could get. Fishermen chased the stray cats away and the baker did the same with the street kids. The morning market was up for business.

The opposite could be said about the house a few streets up the hill. The building was filled with silence, except for careful footsteps that tiptoed through the hallway. Two bright blue eyes were set on the wooden door in front of them. Carefully, the young girl pushed the door open, holding her breath as the wood made a cracking noise. Once the door was open she tiptoed further. She stood still next to the bed of her older sister and watched her for a few seconds before jumping on top of her. Within a second the older sibling was awake. What other option did she have with an excited girl on top of her?

‘Wake up, Charlie, wake up!’

‘I am awake.’ She mumbled as she sat up.

‘Come on, Rixis is waiting!’

‘Okay, first of all,’ Charlotte smiled as she grabbed her sister’s hands. ‘You have to be quiet, mom is still sleeping. And we have to go to the market before we can go to your dragon. Go get dressed, the people don’t want to see you in your pajamas.’

With a wide smile, the girl crawled off her sister’s bed and ran towards her room again. Charlotte shook her head as she heard her sister rummaging around. Merel was already 12, but she still didn’t seem to understand the word quiet. Following her sister’s example, Charlotte got out of bed and got dressed. Not her best clothes, since she would be spending time with fire breathing dragons, but some old clothes that still seemed decent enough to wear while going to the market. The same could be said about her bag.

It was the last present she had gotten from her father. A brown leather shoulder bag with the silhouette of a dragon made especially for her 10th birthday. Charlotte had promised herself that she would take it everywhere she went as a memory of her father. Today was no exception. Her sketchbook and pencils were already waiting next to the bag and she grabbed them on her way to the kitchen where Merel was already waiting for her. She handed Charlotte the money that had been put aside for the market the previous day before grabbing her sister’s hand. And just like every week, Charlotte was dragged through the streets towards the market.

With Merel’s hand in her own they arrived to their destination. Before their father had died, their mother used to come to the center of the town with Merel. The girl always had to hold her mother’s hand to make sure she didn’t wander off, and Charlotte had just taken over the habit of doing so. Another habit that was still alive was enjoying the scents that surrounded them. They stood still for only a second, taking a deep breath through their noses and as the scent of warm bread reached them, their stomachs started to growl.

The baker greeted them with a smile, just like he did every week. The bread they chose was carefully wrapped in paper, and the smaller pieces that were handed to them immediately disappeared into their mouths. After the usual “Say hi to Anneke!”, the siblings moved along to the farmer on the other side of the square. His prices weren’t the cheapest but Merel would die to taste his strawberries. Just like every week the girl got a few extra pieces of the fruit, something that brought a huge smile to her face while she ate them. In return Charlotte always bought some extra fruit and she wondered if he knew the fruit was always eaten by dragons. As long as he got his money he probably didn’t care. Charlotte watched the farmer as he filled the basket with the usual order. Potatoes, carrots, and beans were already carefully placed in the basket as a shout sounded and drawing everyone’s attention.  
Charlotte easily recognized Marco, one of the teachers of the school. The group of students that stood in front of him all seemed excited and determined. It wasn’t hard to guess what was going on, those teenagers were on their way to do the test. Charlotte would soon be one of them. Her 16th birthday was in a month, and as soon as she was old enough, she would take the test. Her own dragon. It was something she’d been dreaming of ever since she had first met one of the wonderful creatures. She’d been keeping a lookout for her dragon, trying to figure out which one would choose her. But she still hadn’t found them.

‘Charlie?’

Charlotte looked away from the group of students as Merel grabbed her hand again. The farmer looked at her with a questioning look and the filled basket in his hands, waiting for her to pay. Charlotte mumbled an apology and handed him the money before taking over the basket. It felt lighter than usual, and secretly she suspected that Merel had taken some extra strawberries already. The assumption turned out to be right when she saw the satisfied smile on her sister’s face.

The trip to their home was even shorter than the one to the market. Merel kept pulling her sister to go faster and within just a few minutes they reached their house. Charlotte immediately saw her mother in the kitchen as they entered and placed the basket in front of her on the table.

‘Baker Arjen says hi, as usual.’ Charlotte smiled as she handed her mother the rest of the money.

Their mother started unpacking the basket and accidentally dropping a few strawberries while doing so. Charlotte managed to catch them just a second before they reached the ground, nearly falling over herself. Deciding that she now definitely deserved the berries, she put them away in her bag and ate one on her way towards the door again.

‘Are you leaving again?’

‘Merel wants to see Rixis.’ Charlotte answered. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll be careful.’

The door fell shut behind her and Merel jumped up when she saw her sister. Once again she grabbed Charlotte’s hand and dragged her forward. Now there was no way around it. They were going to the Dragon Mountain.


	2. Chapter 2

Each time entering the cave felt a little like coming home. Or at least for Merel. Her laugh echoed between the rocks that surrounded them, making every dragon look up. The girl immediately ran to the blue dragon in the corner and wrapped her arms arounds his long neck. When the dragons realized it was just Merel who had interrupted the peace, they lay down their heads again.

The cave was supposed to be their place of peace, where they could sleep without having to worry about anything. The young dragons could play around the mountain and come in to take a nap when they felt the need to. The older dragons kept their collections of shiny objects and food in the cave. They would clean their scales or they would look after the newborn dragons. Every night, the dragons returned to the cave for their night’s rest. It had always been like that and it would probably always be.

Everything that happened in the cave was so beautiful, an example of nature in its purest form, and Charlotte had no other option than to love it. She had spent so much time in the cave already, watching the dragons and observing their behavior. She knew most of the dragons by now, but she still didn’t have a close bond with any of them.

Merel had had a strong connection with Rixis ever since they had first met. It had something to do with the position of the moon and planets according to Sharon. Merel and Rixis were born on the same day and Sharon said that their souls had met before they were even born. It didn’t happen often, but it happened at least once in the lifetime of every Dragon Parent. Charlotte knew there were more of them, but it was hard to believe there was another Mother Of Dragons like Sharon. She was so caring and understood the creatures like no one else. She was one of them, the soul of a dragon lived within her. Charlotte believed that if you looked really closely at Sharon’s eyes, you could even see a glimpse of the dragon.

The creatures fascinated her, and they were her favorite subjects to draw. She’d made a countless amount of drawings in the cave. Two dragons playing together, a sleeping dragon, Sharon taking care of the babies. She’d drawn them all, but her favorite models were still Rixis and Merel. Her sister’s room was already covered with drawings of the blue dragon, but that didn’t stop Charlotte.

Through the years she’d found the perfect spot in the cave to draw. The light was perfect at every hour of the day and the dragon that slept next to her was very friendly. Erox had been the first dragon Charlotte had ever drawn. She had been lying completely still all the while Charlotte had been moving her pencil over the paper, and only moved once the drawing was finished. Back then, Charlotte thought she had found her dragon, that Erox would choose her. But she had already chosen. The human Erox chose died years ago, but that didn’t matter. A dragon only chooses one human during their lifetime.

Charlotte sat down on her spot and took out her sketchbook from her bag. With her pencil ready she looked around the cave for something to draw, her gaze ending on Merel and Rixis again. She was scratching behind his ear, and the dragon seemed to enjoy it a lot. With fast movements she sketched their outlines, silently cursing as Rixis kept moving. He was young and impatient, and Charlotte suspected he didn’t like to be a model. After the outlines were drawn, the dragon took off. He stormed out of the cave, followed by Merel, and then disappeared out of view. So far for drawing.

With a sigh Charlotte put away her sketchbook again, her eyes falling on the fruit in her bag. She could already taste the strawberries just by looking at them. And she wasn’t the only one. Two amber colored eyes looked at her as she took the fruit from her bag. The eyes were friendly and patient, and Charlotte smiled as she recognized Erox’s son. Slowly Ayde came closer as she stretched out her hand towards him. His breath felt warm on her skin, a great contrast with his own. Her hand was soft, his scales were rough but beautiful. Charlotte liked the deep red color and their texture. She’d tried to draw it multiple times, but nothing could do justice to the real thing. Carefully she touched his neck, but Ayde pulled back immediately. Without even looking back at her again, the dragon turned around and left the cave. Wasn’t there a single dragon that liked her?

‘Don’t worry, Ayde is just shy.’

Charlotte looked up as Sharon’s voice sounded. She smiled as she recognized the tiny dragon on the Mother’s shoulder. Igiï was barely a month old, and Charlotte had been the one to name her.

‘I know, but what if it’s a sign?’ Charlotte asked. ‘What if I don’t have a bond with a dragon because I won’t pass the test anyway? They probably know that I’m not meant to be a rider.’

‘That’s true.’ Sharon said while sitting down next to her. ‘Dragons know when someone is not meant to be a rider, but that’s not what’s happening with you. You are a rider, just like your father was. You’re just insecure, that’s what the dragons feel. And besides that, not every rider has a bond with a dragon before they take the test. Look at Floor, she’s a great rider and she also didn’t feel a bond with any of the dragons.’

‘That’s because they already knew what she would do to her dragon. I’m not like her, and I don’t want to be compared to her.’

Charlotte didn’t listen to what Sharon said next. How dare she compare her to The Dragonslayer? Everyone knew Floor and what happened to her, how she took her dragon into the woods to kill the poor creature. Charlotte didn’t understand why Sharon called her a great rider. Riders love their dragons, just like Charlotte liked every single one of the dragons she’d met in the cave. She would love her dragon, no matter which one it was that chose her. If she passed the test…


	3. Chapter 3

As a child, Charlotte often pretended to be a dragon. She would run around with her arms spread wide while screeching like a dragon and smile when she could see her own breath in the winter air. She had spent hours outside in the snow, just breathing and laughing. Her dragon moments became rarer the older she got. There was no more running around, and she only smiled lightly when she saw her breath in the cold air. But there was still one place where she could truly feel like a dragon.

Several parts of the mountain that the dragons had chosen for their home were easily reachable if you weren’t afraid of heights. Charlotte still clearly remembered her father taking her up the mountain for the first time. He had to actually lift her several times because she was too small to reach the rocks herself. But she was not scared, not in her father’s strong hands, and not now when she came here by herself. She could see far past the valley and feel the wind play with her hair. Up here she was a dragon, and dragons weren’t scared.

Whenever she came up here, all her doubts disappeared. She didn’t worry about the test or which dragon would choose her. She was free up here and she enjoyed watching the view. The mountains, the village, the forest, the setting sun with the silhouette of a dragon. She’d drawn all of them several times already, challenging herself to focus on something else with every drawing. She hadn’t decided yet what she would draw today. The horizon looked beautiful, but one of the rocks on the road had been asking to be drawn. She’d cut her hand when she grabbed the rock to climb higher, and now it was still demanding her attention. It was almost as if it was daring her to draw such a dangerous subject. Charlotte loved challenges, and she also accepted this one.

Carefully Charlotte took her sketchbook and pencils from her bag and went looking for an empty page. For a second she just looked at the rock, and then darkness fell over her. Charlotte gasped as she looked up. The silhouette of a big dragon flew over her head and gracefully landed on the field in front of her. Charlotte noticed she was holding her breath as she watched the creature. The dragon was big and its scales dark. It was shining with power and it was nearly as beautiful as its rider.

The rider of such an impressive dragon had to be strong and powerful too. Charlotte was surprised when the rider turned out to be a woman, but not just any woman. She was young, just a few years older than Charlotte probably, and she looked exactly like her dragon. Fierce, powerful, and oh so beautiful.

Both the dragon and the rider were strangers to Charlotte. She’d never seen them before, that was for sure. If her path ever crossed the ones of such a fascinating creatures, she would definitely remember them. She would have drawn them, just like she wanted to do at that moment. The rock wasn’t dangerous enough, and it also was completely forgotten as she started drawing the outlines of the dragon. It sat perfectly still while the rider cleaned its scales, the closed eyes revealing that the dragon enjoyed it. It was a blessing that the dragon sat still, but Charlotte was fascinated by the woman’s muscles. She could see them move underneath the rider’s skin, flexing as she reached for the scales above her head.

With every piece of concentration Charlotte could find she looked at the duo before translating the view into lines. Precise lines for every muscle, scales and strands of beautiful hair appeared on the paper, carefully corrected if something wasn’t completely right. She focused on every little detail, every scar and every imperfection were drawn. Even on the paper it was visible that the two of them had a very strong connection. The way the dragon trusted its rider and the other way around was something truly beautiful. Unconditional trust, only found in nature.  
Charlotte knew she would never be able to get that amount of love and confidence into her drawing, but at least she tried. Once again she looked up at the duo to study them, but she was disappointed when she only saw an empty field. She hadn’t noticed they had left, how long had she been staring at her paper? Charlotte would probably never see the woman again, since she’d never seen the rider before. She knew nothing about her, maybe she didn’t even live in the valley. She probably lived in another village far away, and had only been stopping in these parts for some rest. Charlotte would never see her again, and all she had were a drawing and memories of her.

‘Can I have it when you’re done?’

Charlotte almost screamed when a voice sounded behind her. Usually she was the only person on the mountain, but now  _she_ was standing behind her. The beautiful rider, towering over her with a smile and looking down at her drawing.

‘Eh.. S-sure, if-if you want to.’

‘I do.’ The rider said as she sat down next to Charlotte. ‘That’s why I’m asking. I really like your style, and it would be nice to have a drawing of Nyx.’

‘Nyx?’  
The name left Charlotte’s lips before she actually meant to. She knew Nyx was probably the dragon’s name, but it sounded so familiar. Where had she heard that name before?

‘My dragon.’ The woman smiled. ‘And I’m Floor by the way.’

Realization sunk in as soon as the rider said her name. Of course, how could she forget about that? Nyx, the dragon that was chosen and didn’t choose. The Dragonslayer forced Nyx to become hers, and turned her into a powerful creature as dark as the night. And now, the Dragonslayer was sitting right next to her.

‘I have to go.’ Charlotte mumbled as she quickly put away her pencils and notebook again. She almost tripped over her own feet as she jumped up, but Floor kept her from falling. In a reflex the redhead pulled her arm free from the gentle grip before turning her back to the other woman.

‘Wait, what’s your name?!’

‘Doesn’t matter!’ Charlotte yelled back.

She ran towards the spot where she could venture down safely from the mountain, but was stopped by Nyx. The dragon blocked the path and Charlotte’s heart started beating faster in panic. She was trapped between the Dragonslayer and the dragon of the night, and she didn’t dare to imagine what could happen to her now.

‘Nyx! Let her go!’

Of all the things Charlotte had expected, this was not one of them. For a second the dragon just looked at her and then she flew up, clearing the path. Charlotte didn’t hesitate a single second. She ran down without looking back or even thinking about thanking them. She just wanted to go home and crawl into bed. Maybe she was still sleeping, and then all of this would have been a dream, and the Dragonslayer wouldn’t turn out to be a very beautiful woman.


	4. Chapter 4

  * Looking at her drawings had almost become part of Charlotte’s evening routine. She sat in the middle of her bed with crossed legs, surrounded by her drawings and her sketchbook on her lap. Sometimes she would look back to the first pages of the book and be embarrassed by the drawings. Her style and technique had changed a lot over the years, but she had always been proud of her drawings.

Her parents would always tell Charlotte how much they loved every drawing whenever she showed them her latest piece of art. No matter if it was a dragon with 3 heads, a tree with a face or something that came straight from a 6 year old’s fantasy. Her parents would always love it and she kept every drawing she ever made. Until today.

It was when she reached the drawing of Floor and Nyx that she made earlier during the day that she for the first time considered throwing away a drawing. Or burn it maybe, that way she could pretend the drawing had never even existed. No one could ever know that she had been fascinated by the Dragonslayer. The drawing was great, but the dragon and her rider were a lot less impressive now that she knew who they were. Should she keep the drawing, just like she always did, or should she burn it?

A knock on her door sounded before she’d made a decision. Carefully, her mother opened the door and peeked in. Charlotte had told her mother several times she could just come in, but after walking in on Merel in one of her weird moods a few times, she understood why her mother preferred to knock.

‘Charlie, there’s someone here for you.’

‘Who is it?’

‘You should come.’ Her mother answered after a second of hesitation.

Charlotte frowned as she climbed out of the sea of drawings. No one ever came to visit her. Who could it be, and why wouldn’t her mother say who it was? It had to be someone with bad news, Sharon telling her she wasn’t allowed to take the test. What else could it possibly be about?

It turned out to be something Charlotte didn’t expect at all. She froze as she entered the kitchen and stood still in the doorway. She couldn’t believe her eyes, this could not be real. There was no chance that her little sister was sitting next to the Dragonslayer, sharing her strawberries like they were best friends. What was Floor doing here? Why did they let her in? Didn’t they know who she was?

‘Merel, come here.’ Charlotte hissed.

‘But-’  
‘Merel.’ The girl gave Floor an apologizing look as she stood from the table. Without another word she walked over to her sister, confusion written all over her face. ‘Go to your room, and stay there until I come to get you.’

Merel didn’t argue. She did as she was told and went to her room while Charlotte kept her eyes on Floor. No one said a word until the door of the girl’s room fell shut.

‘I wasn’t going to hurt her.’ Floor said before biting off a piece of the strawberry in her hand.

‘What are you doing here? Did you follow me?’

‘No, why would I?’ Floor laughed. ‘Sharon sent me.’

‘Why would she?’

‘Because I can help you. For some reason she thinks you and I are alike.’

‘I’m nothing like you!’ Charlotte almost yelled. ‘I don’t understand why she keeps saying that. We are not alike! I love dragons! I will fight to get my own and I will love them and care for them until the day I die.’

‘And you think I don’t?’

‘You killed your dragon! I could never do that!’

‘I did not kill Nythy!’ Floor shouted back. ‘I loved her, and I still do. I didn’t kill her, it was an accident.’

The atmosphere in the kitchen had changed. Floor wasn’t yelling anymore, she spoke calmly and her voice was filled with pain. This was something Charlotte didn’t expect from the Dragonslayer, and she didn’t know what to say. For almost a full minute it was silent in the kitchen, then Floor sighed.

‘I think Sharon might be right. I mean, I remember how scared I was for the test. What if I didn’t pass or what if none of the dragons chose me? But I passed, and Nythy picked me. The moment we sealed our bond was magical. With her by my side I felt I could do anything, I was ready for the world. Or at least I thought I was.’

Floor paused a second and Charlotte sat down beside her. A small smile had played on the brunette’s lips as she talked about her dragon, but slowly the darkness found its way to her voice.

‘I don’t remember why Nythy and I were out that day or why we wandered off so far. There was a storm and we were trying to get back to the cave when we got struck by lightning. We were shot down from the sky. I don’t know how high we were flying, but the fall lasted so long. I was waiting to hit the ground, wondering if I would be in unbearable pain or die immediately. When it finally happened I landed on something that was close to soft. Nythy broke my fall, she crashed down so I would fall on top of her. She gave her own life to save mine.

No one believed me when I finally came back to the town. Someone had heard me shouting at Nythy earlier that day, and they told everyone that I probably took her into the storm to kill her, to get rid of her. It’s true that I was mad at her, but I don’t even remember why. Maybe she ate my lunch for that day, she often did that. But I never meant to hurt her, it was an accident, and no one believes me.’

‘Except Sharon?’

‘Except Sharon, indeed.’ Floor lightly smiled. ‘She always believed in me. And she helped me realize Nythy’s death was not my fault. Sharon gave me another chance, another dragon, but they didn’t want me. No dragon trusted me anymore, only Nyx. She’s Nythy’s sister, and according to Sharon she trusted Nythy’s choice and also picked me. Nyx means everything to me now.’

The silence returned to the kitchen as Charlotte let the words sink in. She wasn’t sure if she believed Floor or if she could trust her, but apparently Sharon did. And if the Mother of Dragons trusted someone, who was she to say no?

‘So, you can help me?’ Charlotte carefully asked.

‘I can help you prepare for the test.’ Floor smiled. ‘Maybe you’ll be more confident then. I’m sure you’ll also pass without my help, but some confidence won’t hurt, right?’

‘And what if I pass but none of the dragons chooses me?’

‘You don’t have to worry about that. I see a great rider in you, any dragon that doesn’t want you is a fool.’

Charlotte lightly blushed as she looked down at the table. She’d been so wrong about Floor and she felt a bit guilty for not trusting her. She wanted to apologize, but right then the other woman shoved the last three strawberries into her mouth, and Charlotte made a mental note to never trust Floor with her food.





	5. Chapter 5

The academy of the village held a special place in Charlotte’s heart. Her father had been one of the professors, and he started taking his daughters to the school at a young age already. It was an impressive building, especially for a 4 year old girl. And right now, Charlotte felt like she was that little child again. She felt so small standing in front of the huge building. She had spent hours just watching the detailed decorations. But she was already late.

Usually Charlotte would be mad at herself for messing up the first impression by being late. This time it didn’t matter, she’d already messed up her first impression with Floor big time, and the other girl still wanted to help her. She was probably already waiting for her in the heart of the academy. The library held a huge collection of wisdom, a place where young Charlotte had spent a lot of time ever since she had started to read.

Charlotte immediately spotted the brunette as she entered the library. Floor had already surrounded herself with piles of books and Charlotte felt her confidence fading. Was she really supposed to read all of them?

‘What’s with the face?’ Floor whispered as Charlotte sat down next to her.

‘I, I didn’t know it was so much… How am I supposed to study all of this in just a few weeks?’

‘Oh, don’t worry, most of these books are all the same. And these,’ Floor smiled as she placed her hand on one of the piles in front of them. ‘are borrowed from Sharon.’

‘Is she allowed to help students?’

‘Okay, let me rephrase that.  _I_  borrowed them from Sharon, not you.’ Floor winked. ‘Okay, are you ready for some studying?’

‘Sure!’

‘Let’s start with dragon anatomy.’

Floor grabbed one of the books from a pile and started looking for the right page. She sighed as she closed the book again before grabbing another one. That action was repeated three more times before Floor finally placed a book in front of Charlotte.

‘The images in these books are all terrible. They should use your drawings instead. Your dragons are at least colored and look like living creatures.’

‘Oh, speaking of that…’

Charlotte smiled as she pulled her sketchbook from her bag. She could feel Floor’s curious gaze on her hands while she looked for the right drawing but tried to ignore it. A light blush was on her cheeks as she found her drawing of Floor and Nyx and handed it to the other girl.

‘You asked if you could have it, so I finished it for you.’

Floor smiled as she looked down at the drawing. Carefully she let her fingers caress the dragon while Charlotte bit her lip. She hoped she did justice to Nyx, that she managed to capture those things that made her so fascinating.

‘It’s wonderful.’ Floor whispered. ‘You’re very talented.’

‘Thanks.’

‘No, thank you. This drawing is amazing. Now I can carry Nyx with me wherever I go.’

‘It’s great to see that the two of you have such a deep connection, that’s why I wanted to draw you in the first place.’ Charlotte said. ‘I really hope I can have that too one day.’

‘I’m sure you will.’

‘Even if none of the dragons seems to like me?’

‘Maybe you give them the wrong signals.’ Floor mumbled. ‘How do you approach them?’

‘With food, usually, that has their attention for at least a few seconds.’

‘No, I mean your attitude.’ The brunette smiled. ‘Come on, approach me like I’m a strange dragon.’

For a second Charlotte just stared at her with a risen eyebrow. Usually she tried to gently stroke the dragon’s neck, but she wasn’t sure if that was the right thing to do now. It felt awkward when she lifted her hand and guided it towards the brunette’s neck until a laugh stopped her.

‘Okay, if that’s how you approach dragons, I’m surprised you’re still alive.’ Floor laughed. ‘Would you like it if I went straight towards your face?’

‘I was going for your neck, or the dragon’s neck…’

‘Okay, stand up.’ Once again Charlotte frowned at the strange request, but eventually she did as she was told. Floor followed her example and gently placed her hands on her shoulders. ‘See, you also don’t like it when I touch you without a warning. And you’re tense, dragons feel that. You have to relax, let go of any tension you feel. Act natural, like you meet new dragons all the time. You know they won’t hurt you, so don’t act scared.’

Floor let her arms slide down Charlotte’s arms and gently took her hands. She lifted them and turned them with the palms up. She smiled as she looked the redhead in the eye again.

‘Show them the palm of your hands, to prove you don’t have anything to hurt them with, and let them do the work. They’ll come to you, and they’ll ask you to pet them. Trust me.’

Charlotte had no other choice. The blue eyes that stared at her seemed to look right into her soul. The hands holding hers felt strong, the voice sounded soft and warm. Every part of Charlotte’s body wanted to trust the other woman, even the part that had told her to run away at first. Floor seemed so honest, her heart as innocent as a child’s. How was it possible that no one else saw that?


	6. Chapter 6

Charlotte was more than confident when she handed in her paper. The questions of the test had been easy, mostly because of all the help she’d gotten with studying. While reading the questions she could already hear Sharon and Floor’s voices in her mind, explaining exactly the chapter the question had been about. Charlotte knew she was smart and that she had no reason to fear this part of the test. The upcoming part however, was something else completely.

She’d been climbing mountains for years, but the cut on her hand reminded her that she had to be careful. One wrong decision could be fatal, meaning that she would failed the test and probably getting injured. She had to focus and not letting anything distract her. Carefully, Charlotte chose the spot where she would start climbing the mountain. She took ahold of a rock and pushed herself up while looking for the next rock she could grab. The first part was always the hardest. The higher she got, the more confident she became, and she could almost feel her father’s invisible hand on her back.

Her muscles were aching in a pleasant way when she finally reached her goal. The plateau was filled with dragons and every one of them had their eyes set on her. Charlotte took a second to catch her breath to get some dirt off her clothes. It was time for the last part of the test. She eyed the dragons one by one, her gaze ending on the green dragon to the far right. He just sat still, patiently looking at her. The ideal dragon to complete the test. All of these dragons lived and were trained in the academy, but they were still dragons.

Charlotte did as she was taught. She relaxed her shoulders and tried to empty her mind. There was no reason to be scared. They weren’t going to hurt her and she wasn’t going to hurt them and she lifted her hands to prove it. With her empty palms visible, she slowly made her way towards the dragon. The creature tilted its head as she came closer, and she only stopped when she could feel its warm breath on her body. She stood still, her empty hands in front of her. Looking, that was all they did. She looked at the dragon and they looked back at her, slowly closing the distance between them. Carefully the dragon touched her hand with its nose, repeating the action until Charlotte stroked its head. The scales were warm, and she smiled when her hand moved towards the dragon’s neck and he let her.

Charlotte had been practicing this during the last couple of weeks, and her heart was beating with joy when the dragon allowed her to come closer. She was careful when she stood next to the dragon and climbed onto its back. Not once was there a sign of rejection and Charlotte let out a sound of surprise when the dragon flew up. It was a short flight, just back to the foot of the mountain. The dragon knew its task and the only thing Charlotte had to do was to enjoy it.

Her heart was still beating fast when they landed at the foot of the mountain. The entire crowd, mostly existing of families of the teenagers taking the test, applauded when her feet touched the ground. Charlotte looked at Sharon, waiting for the Mother of Dragons to confirm she’d passed the test. For a few very long seconds it was quiet, then Sharon smiled and the redhead released the loudest shout of her life. She passed, she really passed the test. She would get her own dragon.

With a wide smile Charlotte ran towards her family and pulled her mother and sister into a tight hug. In pure joy she also swung her arms around Floor’s shoulders without a warning. The older woman obviously didn’t expect the hug, and Charlotte received strange looks for hugging the Dragonslayer, but she didn’t care. Floor had helped her to get her own dragon, and she would forever be thankful for that.

Her body was still filled with excitement when the last person finished their test. Almost everyone had passed, and they were now on their way to the dragon cave. Sharon walked in front of them, closely followed by Charlotte. The thought of not finding the dragon that would choose her was still present, but the excitement was stronger. She was going to get her own dragon and it was going to happen now.

It almost felt as if she entered the cave for the first time. She’d only been 4 years old when her father took her to meet the dragons. Her heart had been beating just as rapidly as it was now. Her hands were shaking slightly, her knees felt week and the air that filled her lungs was cold. The dragons looked up at the group of teenagers, like they could feel something had changed about them.

‘Don’t be scared.’ Sharon said. ‘Go into the cave and introduce yourself.’

Charlotte noticed how the people around her held their breaths as they walked deeper into the cave. She almost felt uncomfortable under the stare of so many eyes, and she too held her breath when one of the dragons came towards them. It wasn’t a strange dragon, Charlotte had drawn him but she never learned his name. For just a second the dragon stood still in front of her, looked at her, and then moved on. This was not her dragon.

Slowly the other dragons followed the first one. They approached the group, inspected the teenagers one by one, and eventually stood still in front of the one they chose. Charlotte couldn’t help it but to hold her breath for a second when a new dragon stood in front of her. Every time the air was released again when the creature moved on, but this time it was different.

The dragon that stood in front of her didn’t move away. He’d come straight towards her without even looking at the other people. At first Charlotte didn’t question it, she knew Ayde after all, but she gasped when he lowered his head. Charlotte couldn’t believe what she saw next. A tear escaped from the corner of his closed eye, he chose her. The shy dragon that Charlotte had almost known her entire life, that had never really shown interest in any human chose her. A dragon only cries once in its life, and Ayde chose to cry for her.

Carefully Charlotte stepped closer and kissed his tear away, just like the tradition wanted it. The bond between a dragon and its rider is sealed by the rider drinking the dragon’s tear. That way the rider promises to take care of the dragon and prevent them from harm, and Charlotte was more than willing to do that.

When Charlotte looked up again she noticed Ayde’s mother in the corner of the cave, looking at them with eyes that spoke a hundred words. Erox couldn’t chose her anymore, but her son did. She seemed happy with Ayde’s choice, and a mother’s approval was all Charlotte could dream of.


	7. Chapter 7

The house was covered by silence, as if the walls kept out every sound from the outside. The songs of the birds on the roof, the few people that were already awake and making their way to their jobs. None of those managed to enter the house, but the sun did.

Two bright blue eyes opened when the first rays of sunshine reached them. A smile followed just a few seconds later and the girl they belonged to eagerly crawled out of bed. She tiptoed through the house, holding her breath as the wooden floor lightly cracked underneath her feet. The noise didn’t stop her and she continued making her way across the hall.

Merel bit her lip as she carefully pushed open the door in front of her. Her eyes were already set on her sister’s bed when she entered, but she frowned when the bed seemed empty. That was the sign Charlotte had been waiting for.

Without a single sound she tiptoed towards her sister, leaving her hiding spot behind the door. Her lower lip was caught between her teeth to stop herself from laughing, and she was surprised she actually managed to stay silent until she stood behind Merel.

‘Boo.’

It was just a whisper, but it was enough to make Merel jump and scream as she turned around. Charlotte was no longer able to stay quiet as she saw the look on her sister’s face. The room was filled with laughing and the scared breathing of the younger girl for a few seconds, then Merel realized what just happened.

‘Why are you awake already?!’ She asked while punching the redhead’s arm.

‘Because I also want to go see my dragon.’ Charlotte smiled. ‘Now go get dressed, I’ll make you breakfast.’

Merel’s laugh echoed through the house as she ran back to her room and Charlotte made her way towards the kitchen. She found the dress her mother was working on draped over a chair and she smiled as she lifted it. The fabric was soft and the person that ordered it seemed to have the same taste in clothing as her. Charlotte loved the dresses her mother made, and it would be a shame if something happened to it. Carefully she hung the dress at the door and grabbed two bowls and filled them with cereal.

Merel entered the kitchen right after the milk was divided, immediately sitting down and starting her breakfast. In a record time the two sisters finished their breakfast and placed the dishes in the sink before heading outside. In a reflex Merel grabbed her sister’s hand as they walked towards the mountain. As soon as Charlotte saw the first dragon however, she let go of Merel’s hand and grinned at her questioning look.

‘I’ll race you to the cave.’

There was no need to say it twice. Within a second Merel started running up the path while Charlotte watched. It was only fair to give her a few seconds before she started running herself, Merel was a lot shorter after all. Still, she was fast for her height and Charlotte only managed to take the lead a few meters before the entrance of the cave. Her victory shout echoed through the cave and a few dragons looked up, just like Floor. The brunette was already waiting for them at the entrance while Nix took a nap of the grass field.

‘You cheated!’

‘She did not.’ Floor smiled as Merel reached the cave. ‘Your legs are just too short, you deserve a rematch. Come here.’

Charlotte couldn’t believe it. For a second she thought Floor had picked her side, but she was terribly wrong. The brunette turned her back to Merel and sunk through her knees, signing the girl to jump on her back. Floor easily stood up again, and they both smiled while Merel wrapped her legs around Floor’s waist.

‘We’re ready for a rematch!’

‘I came here to fly, not to run.’ Charlotte smiled. ‘Come on Merel, let go of Floor.’

Merel only responded by tightening her grip on Floor. The brunette just laughed and walked deeper into the cave, Merel still on her back. The three of them made their way towards the far corner of the cave, where Ayde was sleeping next to his mother. As soon as Erox noticed them, she woke the dragon next to her. Slowly the red bundle of scales came to live and Ayde seemed more than happy when he recognized his human. With a smile Charlotte almost ran towards him, swinging her arms around his neck.

It had only been a week since Ayde had chosen her, but they were already inseparable. He was like the brother she had never had. Someone to care for that loved her unconditionally and could fly. Basically Merel with badass wings.

The bond they had was even comparable to the one Charlotte had with her sister. She almost couldn’t believe she had been scared of not finding her dragon. Ayde was perfect for her, how did she not see that earlier?

‘Are the two of you ready to fly?’

Merel had finally traded Floor for her dragon, leaving Floor to do what she actually was there for. She would teach Charlotte how to fly. Or fly with Ayde, something that Charlotte was more than ready for, and she nodded with a smile. In the last week they had been preparing both rider and dragon, and now it finally was time to fly.

Ayde was guided out of the cave, where Nyx was already waiting for them. Floor placed her hand on Charlotte’s shoulder, squeezing it lightly to assure her everything would be okay before she jumped on her dragon’s back. After a deep breath Charlotte did the same. She carefully climbed on Ayde’s back, making sure she didn’t hurt him and carefully letting her hands slide over his scales.

‘Are you ready?’ Floor asked, smiling when Charlotte could only nod. ‘Go ahead then, I’ll follow.’

Charlotte took one last deep breath and tried to block all negative thoughts. Everything would be fine and Floor would be there with her. She trusted Ayde, and together they could do this.

‘Soar.’

Her voice was soft but still confident, and Ayde knew exactly what to do. Charlotte felt how the dragon used every muscle in his body to push himself off the ground. His wings pulled them higher into the air with powerful strokes, the tiny dragons in Charlotte’s stomach doing the same. She barely dared to breathe during the first seconds of their flight, but then the euphoria took over.

A wide smile spread itself over her lips and she let out a shout when they flew over the mountain. Everything looked so small underneath them, and she felt more powerful and free than she’d ever felt before. Charlotte looked up when Floor suddenly flew next to them, smiling and nodding in approval. This was the moment she’d worked for all those months. The tears, pain, and worries were easily forgotten, they all had been more than worth it.

Her body was still filled with adrenaline hours later. The moon and stars had taken over the sky several hours before, but Charlotte was still wide awake. Once again her bed was covered by drawings, and for once she didn’t care that they weren’t anywhere near finished. She tried to capture her euphoria on paper, to express how free she’d felt up in the air. But there was no image that could show how she felt, there were no words to describe it. All Charlotte knew was that she wanted to remember this feeling forever.

A loud banging on the door pulled the smile of Charlotte’s face. It was the middle of the night, why would anyone be knocking –or slamming their fist- on their door? What could they possibly need? With a frown she carefully stepped out of bed and made her way towards the door, her heart beating faster with each step.

‘Charlotte! Please, open the door! It’s me!’

It was only when she recognized Floor’s voice that Charlotte dared to relax, even if it was just for a second. What could be going on? What was so urgent that it couldn’t wait until the morning?   
Panic was written all over Floor’s body when Charlotte opened the door. Her eyes seemed haunted, every part of her body was shaking and a tear fell off her chin when Floor looked up. Her breath was shallow, and her voice was unsteady when she spoke.

‘Nyx is gone.’


	8. Chapter 8

Charlotte was unable to move. She could only stare at the woman in front of her while the words slowly sunk in. Nyx was gone. But how could a dragon just disappear? It was impossible for such a huge dragon to just be gone. It had to be a joke, and a really bad one. Charlotte silently counted the seconds until Floor would smile and tell her it was a joke, but the pain never left the brunette’s face.

‘Wha-what do you mean?’

‘What do I mean?’ Floor nearly yelled. ‘Nyx is gone, that’s what I mean! She’s not in the cave!’

‘Floor, Floor, calm down. It’s the middle of the night, why were you in the cave? And are you sure she isn’t there? Her scales are dark and you must be tired…’

‘I know what my dragon looks like. And I’m not tired, I was in the cave because I couldn’t sleep. Nyx is not there. Something is wrong, we have to go look for her.’

‘Okay,’ Charlotte said in defeat. She knew Floor was right. When a dragon doesn’t return to the cave for the night, something is wrong. ‘we’ll go look for her.’

‘I’m coming too!’

‘No way!’

Charlotte turned around when voices sounded behind her. Apparently Floor had also woken up the other people living in the house. Merel seemed determined, but so was their mother, who had a tight grip on the girl’s arm.

‘It’s way too dangerous for you to go outside in the middle of the night.’

‘And for Charlotte it’s not?’ Merel asked indignantly.

‘Charlotte is older than you, she knows what she’s doing. You are staying home.’

‘But-’

‘End of discussion, back to bed. Now.’

Merel looked at her mother for a few seconds, but she sighed when she realized she’d lost. Without another word she went back to her room, her footsteps the only sounds that could be heard. Their mother had her eyes set on her oldest daughter the entire time, but she only spoke when Merel’s door was closed again.

‘Be careful, Charlie.’

‘I promise.’

The words left her lips with a small smile before she turned around again. Worry was still written all over Floor’s face, but the panic seemed to be close to gone. Just worry, pain, and sadness were left, and Charlotte was determined to make those disappear too.

‘So, how do you want to do this?’ Charlotte asked as she stepped outside.

‘We could take Ayde and fly over the valley?’ Floor suggested. ‘I know you only flew for the first time today and it’s dangerous but-’

‘Okay, let’s do it.’

Floor looked at her in surprise, but eventually nodded. In silence they made their way towards the cave, walking slightly faster than usual. A few dragons looked up as they entered, but decided not to let the humans interrupt their sleep. Ayde on the other hand seemed to be wide awake, and he easily followed his rider outside. Charlotte expected Floor to take the lead in their search for Nyx, but once they were outside she simply stood next to the dragon.

‘What are you waiting for?’

‘He’s your dragon,’ Floor said. ‘you have to sit in front. You have to ride him.’

‘Right…’

Carefully, and still scared to hurt her dragon, Charlotte climbed onto Ayde’s back, quickly followed by Floor. The redhead was still insecure about flying, especially in the dark, but having Floor so close to her made her a bit more confident. It felt safe to feel the warmth coming from the body behind her, to know that she was there.

The first minutes of the flight weren’t easy. Ayde wasn’t used yet to fly with a rider, let alone two. Floor wasn’t used to  _not_  being the rider and she had clearly felt uncomfortable when she needed to hold on to Charlotte in order not to fall off. After a couple of minutes however, everyone seemed to have found a position that worked for all three of them.

Charlotte and Floor both kept their eyes on the ground as Ayde flew over the valley. It wasn’t easy to see a dragon as dark as the night and in the end everything looked like it could be Nyx. Every tree, every shadow looked like her in Charlotte’s tired eyes.

After flying around for two hours, they decided that there was no use in going on. They were tired, too far away from the village and the clouds had started blocking the moonlight. It wasn’t safe anymore to fly back to the cave so they didn’t have any other option than to sleep outside.

Ayde landed on a spot next to the river. As soon as the humans got off his back he made his way towards the water and eagerly started drinking. Charlotte felt bad when she saw it, she should had given him a break.

‘We need to make a campfire.’ Floor said, pulling Charlotte from her thoughts. ‘If you get some stones from the river, I’ll collect some wood.’

Before Charlotte could even say anything, Floor had already turned around and made her way towards the group of threes that stood some meters away from them. It probably wasn’t the first time Floor did this and Charlotte trusted her to know what she was doing. A few minutes later they had the fire going and sat in front of it in silence. Floor didn’t seem to have an urge to talk and Charlotte simply didn’t know what to say.

The reflection of the fire was visible in Floor’s eyes, but that was all there was to see. Her eyes seemed so empty, as if Nyx had disappeared with her soul. It seemed as if Floor didn’t feel anything at all, but she was probably just numb from all the pain. Charlotte was proven right when a lonely tear escaped Floor’s eye and the redhead carefully placed her hand on the girl’s back. She obviously cared so much about her dragon, loved her with every part of her existence. How could people keep calling her The Dragonslayer?

‘We’ll find her, I promise.’

‘I’m letting her down.’ Floor whispered back. ‘She trusts me, I’m supposed to protect her. I promised her I would have her back.’

‘You do. Floor, it’s 4am and you’re out here looking for her. You’re not letting her down.’

‘No, she should be safe. When everyone let me down, she still trusted me, she still chose me. And-and now…’

‘Now you’re doing exactly what you promised her.’ Charlotte assured her. ‘You’re doing everything within your powers to find her. She chose you for a reason and…’ Slowly, Charlotte let her hand wander from Floor’s back to her neck until it reached her chin. Gently, she wiped away the lonely tear and she smiled when Floor finally looked at her.

‘And I would chose you too.’

Slowly, Charlotte leaned in closer and closed the distance between them. Floor didn’t pull away, and that was enough for her. Their lips met in a light, almost innocent touch. A warm feeling spread through her body, and Charlotte was sure it wasn’t just from the fire. But as soon as it had appeared, it quickly disappeared again as Floor pulled back.

‘We should get some sleep.’

Floor got up from her spot, leaving a confused redhead behind. Did she just make a huge mistake? It had felt right. Why hadn’t Floor said anything about it?

In silence, the duo put out the fire. Questions kept haunting Charlotte’s mind. She wanted answers, but she had no idea how to ask for them. A deep breath sounded and Charlotte looked up. Floor was about to say something, but just when she thought she would get some answers, she turned out to be wrong.

‘We should sleep under Ayde’s wing. It’s warmer and safer than just sleeping in the open.’

Charlotte only nodded, disappointed that she was left with her questions. Without another word the two women crawled under the dragon’s wing. The wing was like a protective wall, keeping her safe from the danger outside but not from everything that was going on between her and Floor. She was sure she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep with Floor so close to her, and yet her mind seemed so far away.

It was like Floor could hear her thoughts. Without opening her eyes, the taller woman wrapped her arm around Charlotte’s waist. She mumbled something that could pass for “Good Night” and within a second, Charlotte felt safer than she had ever felt before.


	9. Chapter 9

The sun had just begun her journey through the sky when Charlotte opened her eyes. At first she was surprised that her surroundings were black, but then she recognized the texture of Ayde’s wing, still around her like a protective layer. The wing seemed bigger than she remembered it to be and it was only then that she noticed Floor was gone.

Carefully, Charlotte crawled out from underneath the wing, her entire body aching in the process. She promised herself that she would treat her body to an extra hour of sleep in an actual bed, and just the thought of it brought a smile to her face. The smile disappeared however as soon as she spotted Floor.

The brunette was sitting next to the remains of their fire. She seemed so broken and vulnerable, the complete opposite of the Floor Charlotte knew. No more confidence, she just looked desperate and filled with pain, and Charlotte was pretty sure she’d caused at least a part of it. She shouldn’t have kissed Floor, but at the same time, it had felt so good. If only Floor had said something…

‘Do you mind if we skip breakfast?’

Charlotte was pulled from her thought as the words sounded. It was only because she knew there wasn’t anyone else around that she believed Floor had said them. Her voice was soft and tired, and the brunette was still sitting with her back to her.

‘No, not at all.’ Charlotte answered.

‘Okay, then let’s go.’

Without another word Floor got up and walked towards the dragon. They both climbed onto Ayde’s back, and if it was even possible, it now felt even more awkward than the previous day when Floor wrapped her arms around her waist. They really had to talk this out but right now Nyx was more important.

The air got colder the higher they got. Charlotte felt goosebumps covering her arms, but she didn’t let the cold distract her. They had to find Nyx. No matter what. Charlotte didn’t know the pain of losing a dragon, she couldn’t even begin to imagine it. But Floor did, she knew the pain all too well and Charlotte didn’t want to put her through all of that again.

Not a word was said as they flew over the trees. Everything looked so different than it had looked at night, and at the same time everything looked so alike. Had they been here before? Was that spot underneath them Nyx or just a shadow? The longer they flew around, the less hope Charlotte had. She had no idea of where they were, or where the dragon could possibly be, but she didn’t dare to suggest to go back. Floor’s hands had the fabric of her shirt in a tight grip, and the redhead didn’t have to turn around to know that Floor was fighting her tears. The chance of finding Nyx got smaller with every minute, and they both knew it. Charlotte noticed how the knuckles clenching her shirt slowly turned white, and she almost jumped when Floor’s voice sounded.

‘Goddamnit Nyx! Where are you?!’

What happened next was something neither of them had dared to hope for. A cry sounded. A dragon’s cry, without a doubt.

‘That’s Nyx!’ Floor shouted. ‘It’s her! It’s Nyx!’

Once again the dragon answered with a cry. Charlotte noticed how even her heart started beating faster. Just a cry, and all hope was back. They followed the sound of Nyx’s cries, eventually leading them into the woods. Ayde found a spot to land and Floor jumped off his back as soon as they touched the ground.

She took off immediately while shouting her dragon’s name and leaving the other woman to follow her. Floor’s taller legs carried her faster than Charlotte could run. She had to jump over fallen trees and branches while keeping her eyes on Floor and she was more than glad when she finally reached her, or at least for a second.

Charlotte was out of breath, but she still managed to gasp when she reached Floor. Nyx stood in front of them, tangled in ropes that hung between several trees. Seeing the black leaves and wood, it was obvious that the dragon had tried to free herself using her fire breathing, but it had only done more damage.

‘What is this?’

‘Dragonhunters.’ Floor gritted. ‘Come on, help me free her.’

For a second Charlotte just looked at the ropes, not knowing where to start. She was scared to hurt the dragon, so as carefully as possible, she started pulling the ropes. Nyx tried to stand still, but it was obvious she was in pain. The dragon’s eyes were set on the humans while they worked on the ropes, managing to remove them one by one. As soon as Nyx’ wings were freed, she spread them wide and almost knocked over Charlotte in the process. A loud screeching noise sounded as the dragon pushed herself off the ground and cutting loose the last remaining ropes.

Charlotte took a step back once the dragon was completely free. The smile on Floor’s face as she wrapped her arms around Nyx’ neck was mixed with tears of relief. Both dragon and rider were more than happy to see each other. Floor had saved her life, and there was nothing that made a bond stronger than that.

With a smile Charlotte watched the pair. She was surprised when Floor suddenly pulled back from Nyx and almost ran in her direction. She was even more surprised when Floor threw her arms around her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug, tighter than she had ever expected from the brunette.

‘Thank you so much.’ Floor whispered. ‘You saved her life.’

‘No, you found her. You recognized her… voice.’

‘I couldn’t have done this without you. You…’ Slowly, Floor pulled back from the embrace. She looked at Charlotte, as if the words she was looking for were written in her eyes. ‘You should follow us. There’s something I want to show you.’

Charlotte nodded and smiled when Floor did the same. They both turned around and walked towards their dragons. It took Charlotte longer to reach Ayde, and Floor and Nyx were already waiting for them in the air when Ayde pushed himself off the ground. It was impossible to speak in the air, but Charlotte knew what she had to do. She just had to trust Floor, and follow her to wherever she lead them.

The mountain they landed on just seemed ordinary, but once Charlotte jumped off her dragon’s back, she understood why Floor had brought them here. This mountain gave a view over the entire valley. The village was clearly recognizable, a few dragons were already flying around the cave, the sunrise had never been so clear. It was the most beautiful view Charlotte had ever seen.

‘It’s so beautiful up here.’ Charlotte whispered in awe. ‘I wish I had brought my sketchbook. I… I could spend hours drawing this view. Thank you so much for showing it to me!’

‘Eh, that’s not really why I brought you here.’ Floor admitted.

‘Then, why did you?’

Gently, Floor took Charlotte’s hand. She was almost unable to look Charlotte in the eye as she spoke and it made the redhead smile. Even The Dragonslayer had a shy side.

‘I know I should had said something yesterday, and I’m sorry I didn’t. But you, you surprised me and… I didn’t expect it. I always thought that this mountain was the place where I would kiss you for the first time.’

‘Well, technically I’m the one who kissed you. You haven’t really kissed me yet, and… I’m not stopping you.’

Floor smiled wider than Charlotte had ever seen. It was only there for a second before their smiles were mixed by a kiss. The spark from the previous evening was back, but this time it was at least ten times stronger. She felt her heart beating in every part of her body. Strong and steady, like the heart of a dragon.


End file.
